Sleep Positions

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 3sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 11 months ago by LongEaredLions.

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- 05/21/2014 at 11:38 PM
  BelarusianBunny
  Participant
  81 posts
  This is a silly and probably “neurotic” question.
  
  For as long as I’ve had my aged Netherland Dwarf, so for years, he has always slept the same way. He slept in the meatloaf position. He has never stretched out and I’ve never seen him on his side. I figure physiologically he was unable to achieve these positions.
  
  Last summer, after his second case of head tilt, he slept in the meatloaf position but with his residual “slight” tilt-alignment of his neck, he’d sleep in the meatloaf position but with his head off to the side. His head would only be this way when he would be in a deep sleep now.
  
  Now, he’s finally showing some signs of old age arthritis. He has sore hocks so when he sleeps, he leaves one of his hind legs out to the side. And now, he literally face plants his face, flat faced right down into his bedding. He sleeps a lot deeper now and a lot longer in this position. And then, he will wake up, eat, groom, etc, etc.
  
  I’ve had other rabbits in the past (all large breeds) and they’ve kept the same sleeping positions throughout their lives. (Until the end) Either due to arthritis or preference, do rabbits change their preferred sleeping positions so suddenly throughout their lives? Does anyone else’s rabbits “face plant” their face right down into the bedding when they sleep?
  
  P.S: He’s just been to the vet so he isn’t sick. He’s just on a very small dose of Metacam.
- 05/22/2014 at 6:48 PM
  Peony
  Participant
  219 posts
  Mine does a few different ways.
  
  First is the typical meatloaf position and kinda freaky since it looks like shes staring at you at times.
  
  Other times she can lay on her side after a flop.
  
  There is the stretch out forward position but head is straight up.
  
  Then the final one where she is completely stretched out, chin on the rug or whatever, hind feet spread pointed back. (When she does this I tell my mom she is super flat bunny)
  
  Guess it just depends on her mood shes only two so…
  
  OH! one more! She also has a position that is more like a stretched out meatloaf, that is a bit odd too.
- 05/22/2014 at 8:05 PM
  Lita
  Participant
  28 posts
  All our bunnies seem to change their positions depending on various things. They have their preferred but they still mix it up, usually in the same day. and none of ours are older and all are healthy, and everyone except Mufasa changes their positions regularly. Mufasa seems to prefer the meatloaf, and he has only stretched out when the room got to hot. The girls stretch out most of the time but sometimes they meatloaf, especially Cupcakes if her and Keter aren’t sleeping side by side. Susu almost always sleeps stretched out, while Cheezburger sleeps squished up most of the time, usually on top of Susu. Mochi changes often, while Voldemort, maybe due to his size, likes to stay way stretched out, usually which his head down in the perfect way to terrify me! the butthead. Ours range from 5wks to 2yrs.
- 05/23/2014 at 1:42 AM
  LongEaredLions
  Participant
  4482 posts
  I would think the arthritis, sore hocks and head tilt would all affect the way he sleeps. Mine sleep in a variety of positions, it just depends what is comfortable to them.
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